Thru Endurance We Conquer!

If I counted up the number of times that I thought about emailing Tom in the two months between Sheep Mountain and Vapor Trail 125, I would run out of fingers. I honestly thought that two months would be plenty of time to recover between races - after all I've done numerous big races stacked close together before and never had an issue. But I was wrong. It took me longer to recover from Sheep Mountain then I had anticipated. I would get on my bike for a long ride or workout and feel great one day and the next day I would be worthless. When even the gravel grind up Gold Camp Road felt like I was climbing Pikes Peak, I knew something wasn't right. A few easy days hoping to get some spark in my legs and nothing. It just wasn't coming back and I knew that I wouldn't be ready come 10:00pm on September 10th. Despite the inner dread I was developing as the race approached, I continued making my plans as if I was 100% and raring to go. Just finishing was lurking in the back of ...

Here they come again - nervousness, the second guessing and worrying if everything I've done will be enough to carry me for 17 hours across the Continental Divide. The Vapor Trail 125 is Saturday - 10:00pm and 45 intrepid souls will head off into the night. This will be my third time riding (racing?) the Vapor Trail and dispite a hard earned veteran status I don't feel as ready as I have in the past. Why? In prior years, Nick and I spent every free weekend down in Salida, riding almost every inch of the course. From the Colorado Trail to Canyon Creek to Rainbow Trail - we spent many hours scouting. Always fun, but always with a purpose. Learn the course, memorize the descents and mark the climbs. That way nothing would be a surprise come race day. Sure the trails can change a little, but it's nothing like going into the event blind. Not this year - with the exception of one run down Monarch Crest, we have spent no time in Salida. No treks to the summit of Granite mounta...